Police need your help identifying to persons on interest in the armed robbery of a person in a wheelchair in the District.

Author:
Michael Quander

Published:
11:11 AM EST February 7, 2018

Updated:
6:48 PM EST February 7, 2018

An elderly marine veteran was robbed at gunpoint, and police are still searching for the thieves.

The incident took place in the unit block of Franklin Street in Northeast on Friday, February 2, 2018 at 11:30 a.m.

“I heard all of this commotion. The cab driver was saying ‘I gave you all the money.’ He said, ‘where’s the money?’ That went on. So, I just sat there,” Alfred Barnes said.

The individuals were captured by nearby surveillance cameras.

The video showed two people walking past a taxi and doubling back around.

“I said I know these suckers going to shoot us. So, I was waiting on the shot,” Barnes said.

According to the incident report, the cab driver was robbed for $50.00 and Barnes’ pouch was stolen.

“She reached right across up under my neck and took it off my head,” he recalled.

The pouch had his keys, an ID, and his metro access card inside.

“I’m sitting there and I’m blind. I can’t see. I can’t do nothing to help myself or help anybody else. That was very traumatic,” Barnes told WUSA9 at his bedside.

The grandfather and his wife have lived on the block for nearly 50 years without anything like this ever happening.

“Well, it didn’t feel good to tell you the truth. I think I stayed in shock a couple days,” Barnes said.

“It really devastated me,” Audrey Barnes, the victim’s wife, expressed. “I’m telling you because I’ve never been afraid here inside this house like that before.”

“They don’t give a damn about you whether you got no legs or one leg in a wheelchair. Only thing they’re interested in is getting the money,” Alfred Barnes said.

The Barnes’ hope detectives are able to catch the robbers before someone potentially gets hurt.

“I’m not a forgiver. No, no, no. No forgiveness here. Not for them,” Alfred Barnes said.

Anyone who can identify these individuals or who has knowledge of this incident should take no action but call police at (202) 727-9099 or text your tip to the Department's TEXT TIP LINE to 50411.

The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $10,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for a violent offense, including armed robbery, committed in the District of Columbia.